Draft:Christian Clay Weber

Christian Clay Weber (1877–1954) was an architect who influenced much of the architecture in Northern Kentucky, Ohio, and places like Fort Thomas and Eastern Kentucky University. The firm he opened with his brother Edward, Weber, Weber, and Adkins developed subdivisions and neighborhoods in Northern Kentucky and around Fort Thomas.

Early life
Christian Clay Weber, also known as “Doc”, was born September 8, 1877, in Dayton, Ohio to Chris and Elizabeth Meyers Weber. Weber lost his father Chris when he was seven years old when his father went to a political event at the Kentucky|Newport Courthouse. His father Chris was shot accidentally when a man’s gun misfired. He forgave the man who shot him publicly before passing away days later. Elizabeth Weber began running Chris's grocery store and raising Weber and his brothers.

A few years later, in 1897, Weber was listed as an architect in the Newport City Directory. He didn’t have to complete any formal training to list as an architect and it wasn’t until years later, he acted as an apprentice to Werner and Adkins in Cincinnati from 1895 to 1900. Following his apprenticeship in Cincinnati, he apprenticed for John K. Dew in Spokane, Washington from 1900 to 1901.

In 1901, Christian met Mary Anna Kemp of Middletown, Ohio, who was a student at the Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati. The two married in 1902 and had four children within eight years. In 1908, Weber moved his whole family to a house he had built on Carolina Avenue. In 1910, Weber became a Trustee of the District of Highlands and was later Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Career
In 1906, Christian and his brother Ed opened an office in Cincinnati, Ohio, and were there until 1914. Christian was the senior partner of Weber, Weber, and Adkins from 1914 to 1918. In 1914, the Weber family left the house on Carolina Avenue and moved to 23 Sunset briefly, then moved to 50 Oak Ridge while Weber and Ed were developing a subdivision together.

In 1918, Weber opened an office, C.C. and E.A. Weber., with Ed inside of the Ingalls Building in Cincinnati. Ed was a Representative in the Kentucky Legislature, elected in 1909, and acted as Chairman of the Education and Banking Committees. Ed would secure business deals for him and Webers’ firm, such as the Governor’s Mansion in Frankfort and many buildings at Eastern Kentucky University.

Miller Hall was a building Weber developed and established in 1938. The building stands at over 10,080 square feet. Weber, his brother Edward Addison Weber, and his son Stewart Kerap Weber collaborated and were the architects of the building. The original cost of the building was $176,000. The building is named after Judge Richard Miller. The Weber’s maintained a professional relationship with William F. O’Donnell, Eastern Kentucky University President from 1941 to 1960. O’Donnell often wrote the Weber’s to communicate about active projects going on at EKU. Weber's firm contributed to the following buildings on EKU’s campus: Fitzpatrick, Burnham Hall, Sullivan Hall, Keen Johnson, Weaver Health, Crabbe Library, Memorial Hall Annex, Beckham Hall, Cammack, Roark, Coates Administration, and Brock Auditorium.

Death
Weber passed away February 2, 1954 at the age of 75. His obituary doesn’t list a cause of death.